Volleyball Scores a Non-Conference Win Over Local Rival Buffalo

It took five games, but Canisius College volleyball team was able to outlast the visiting University at Buffalo Wednesday night to post a 3-2 (27-30,30-25,27-30,30-27,15-12) win in a non-conference match in the Koessler Athletic Center. The win marks just the fifth time in the 62 previous meetings that Canisius has posted a victory over its cross-town rivals on the volleyball court.

Canisius trailed 12-10 in the fifth and deciding game, but ran off five-straight points to secure the victory. After Canisius junior Christina Wildes slammed home one of her team best 18 kills to make the score 12-11 in favor of the Bulls, Canisius senior Nicole Lucie went to work and served the next five points to help lead the Golden Griffins to the win. Following a Buffalo timeout with the score knotted at 12-12, Canisius senior Jackie Reed gave the Blue and Gold their first lead of the final game with a her only kill of the night. Lucie hit one of her three aces for the Griffs to drive the score to 14-12. On the game’s final serve, UB was whistled for a ball-handling error, the Bulls’ seventh of the match.

Canisius has three players post double figures in the kills column, led by Wildes and her 18 kills on 56 attack attempts. Fellow junior Kim Hoffman posted her third-straight double-double with 12 kills and 12 digs, while sophomore Leigh Launhardt had 13 kills, three service aces, one solo block and four block assists. Lucie had eight kills and nine digs in the winning effort, while Reed posted 48 assists for the Blue and Gold.

Buffalo junior Molly Schrantz had 21 kills and a match-high 26 digs for the Bulls who fell to 5-10 overall with the loss. Freshman Nikki Morzenti had 21 kills and four block assists, while teammates Lindsay Matikosh and Alexis Bouie were credited with 11 and 10 kills, respectively. Matikosh added 16 digs in the loss.

Buffalo setter Amy Brown had a match-high 66 assists and 12 digs for the Bulls, while the team’s libero Wendy Haskell had 14 digs.

The Golden Griffins are now 8-9 overall this season and have won six of their last eight and four of their last five matches. Canisius will return to action Friday night, Oct. 3, at home for a non-conference match against Binghamton. Game time in the Koessler Athletic Center is set for 7 p.m.